The summer was worse than ever before. Yes his friends did write to him but under the circumstances, he was not aloud to see any of them until school started again. Damn his Father for exiling his family. Wizards pure blood and blood traitors alike were ashamed of him, the pure bloods because his Father failed, blood traitors because he supported the Dark Lord. Bloody Hell he thought to himself he could not wait for the new term to start. Seventh year, his last, and he had been made Quiddich Captain, this time for sure Slytherin would win the cup. He brushed back his long blonde hair and rubbed his temples. All of this stress was starting to give him a headache. All he could think about was how comfortable his bed was. He closed his eyes and started to drift off into a thoughtless sleep when suddenly a piercing voice entered his mind and jolted him out of his rest.
"Draco, Dear would you please come down here." He sighed.
"Yes Mum." He slid of of his bed and walked down the stairs. Entering the den he saw his mother sitting on the chair by the fire reading a book. "You called Mother?"
"Yes, under the circumstances with your Father...I will be staying somewhere safe, but you will not be able to contact me. I was planning on sending you away for the last few days of summer."
"But Mum, I could just stay here it is only three more days."
"If you wish Draco, but I would rather you did stay with a friend it would be safer." Without another word she got up and took a bag that he had not noticed before hand.
"You're leaving...Now?"
"Yes." She stepped outside and gave her only son one last look, she spun on the spot and she was gone. Draco blinked. He was alone for the next three days, completely alone, his summer just got worse.
Three days later Draco had apperated himself to an alleyway by King's Cross and dragged his trunk two blocks to the Hogwarts Express. He spent no time trying to find his friends, his real friends would come and find him. He boarded the train and went straight for the back where all of the Slytherins sat. When he sat down he was immediately approached by his four friends, or rather cronies. Theodore Nott, Blaise Zambini, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. The four of them had been Draco's friends since their first year and they knew almost everything about each other, well at least Nott Zambini and Malfoy did, it wasn't exactly a secret that Crabbe and Goyle weren't the smartest.
"Nott, how was your summer?" Draco asked not really caring but he hadn't heard from his friend all summer the least he could do is tell him what happened.
"Nothing of interest really, I did go to Blaise's place to practice Quiddich."
"Oh by the way, guess who the new Quiddich Captain is?" Malfoy said with a smug look.
Nott's jaw dropped. "Really? They made you, the biggest git on the team, the new Captain."
"Yes they did and if someone doesn't watch their mouth..." He smirked. "...They won't be on the team this year." Draco was joking of course, he would always put his cronies on the team before someone that he wouldn't get along with. The guys went on talking about their summers but Draco really had no input since his summer was rather dull. He mostly kept quiet and listened in about their Quiddich games and their love life, something else Draco lacked in ever since he and Pansy broke up.
The sun started to set which gave warning that they would be there soon. Draco and his fellow Slytherins changed into their robes and prepared for another year at this school that he among others so dreaded. The train pulled up and lurched to a stop, Draco and his friends disembarked and headed towards the horseless carriages, which to Draco and Nott were not horseless.
"Blaise -" Theo started as the carriage pulled away, heading towards the castle. "- I am starving, I really hope that the old git doesn't talk too much."
"Yeah, heh heh heh, I'd rather 'e be dead..." Chimed in Goyle.
"I think that we would all wish that you stupid sod." Zambini snapped at Goyle.
"Somebody is in a rough mood. Did you have a fight with your girl?" Said Draco with one of his classic sneers.
"Bog Off Malfoy!" Why did he hang out with these guys when all they do is rag on him. "I know you guys hate her in the first place." Now Zambini was pissed.
"It's not that we hate her mate, it's just that well even though she's a Slytherin like us...she's only half-blood. She's not like us, and your Mum wont let you marry her."
"Honestly I'm starting not to care what my Mum thinks, I love Tracy, and she doesn't love me anymore."
"What?" Said Draco, Theo and Crabbe simultaneously
"SHE DUMPED ME! We're finished, through, Done! She got upset that I wouldn't let her meet Mum and...told me to bugger off."
"Oh...I'm sorry mate, you were too good for her anyways." Theo gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
"I don't care, I loved her."
So much drama in one little carriage ride. Draco thought as they finally reached the school. His stomach gave a loud rumble, hoping that Dumbledore did keep his speech short he started to regret not buying anything from the snack trolly. They took their seats in the Great Hall and Draco eyed up the other Slytherins to see if he could find Pansy. She was nowhere to be found, his spirits lifted. Maybe she didn't come this year. But his mood crashed when he saw the person that made spending an hour with his ex-girlfriend seem like the best thing ever. Potter. He made his life living hell last year and one good thing about his summer alone is he was able to think up a plan to get back at him. Alas he came up with nothing. What pissed him off even more is that he had walked into the great hall with that blood traitor Weasley girl on his arm. What a terrible combination.
Dumbledore's speech was short and the food was great, with a full stomach Draco headed up to his room. Being the Quiddich Captain he had his own room, just like the Prefects, it was a nice cozy room with a heater in the middle and a great big bed with room enough for two. Everything was decorated with silver and green, just like he liked it. He opened his trunk and pulled out a few things that he took from his home, including a picture of his dear Mother. He missed her and really hoped that she was going to be safe, wherever she was. Changing into his pajamas he crawled into his nice warm bed and dozed off.
The next morning he headed to the Great Hall to get some breakfast in him and pick up his schedule. Professor Snape passed him his schedule, when he looked down he saw, to his displeasure, his first three classes were with none other than...Gryffindors. "Damn it to Hell!" He swore loudly causing Theo to look at him with a questioning look. Then he looked at his own schedule and smirked.
"Good thing I dropped Care of Magical Creatures eh?" He laughed.
"At least the first class is double Potions, with our own head of house."
"Yeah but look at that mate." Theo said as he pointed to Malfoy's schedule. "Double Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms...All with Gryffindors. Then Ancient Runes?...Ancient Runes? Why the bloody hell are you taking Ancient Runes?" Draco scowled and snatched his schedule away from him.
"I find it interesting, just because you're too thick to understand, does not mean that I cannot understand it." With that he decided he had enough to eat and he was going to head off to his Potions class.
He was early, even Snape wasn't there yet. He sat down and opened up his book, Advanced Potion Making Volume 2, he flipped through the potions book looking for anything interesting. The door opened, Draco did not even bother to look up, he assumed that it was just Snape. A small girlish cough told him he was wrong. He turned around to see Hermione Granger. Yuck! He thought to himself. She looked around, and then back at him.
"Where is everybody?"
"They're obviously not here now are they?" He sneered, she just glared at him and made a rude gesture. No sooner did she sit down, the other students started to show up. Eventually Snape showed as well.
"Attention class, we will be starting off with a little refresher, I am sure that you all remember the Draught of Living Death? I want you to work with partners..." Harry and Ron immediately shifted next to each other, Snape obviously saw this. "No, no, no Mister Potter...I will be choosing who you work with." They locked eyes, he knew this was not going to be good. Snape started to pair off the students and to Draco's horror he was purposely putting each Slytherin with a Gryffindor partner! He looked helplessly at Theo as Snape paired one of his best friends off with that incompetent fool Longbottom. "Malfoy! Would you care to pay attention when I am talking to you instead of making eyes at Mister Nott?" Draco felt his cheeks redden.
"Sorry Sir...What were you saying?"
"You are with Miss Granger, now move."
"But Sir!" Draco moaned. "I cannot work with Her!"
"You can and you will Mister Malfoy..." Snape's lips curled into a sneer "If you do not move now, I will be forced to take points from my own house." Draco groaned, collected his things and moved to the empty seat next to her. Draco had a rather large frown on his face and he had no impulse to hide it when he looked at her.
"Don't worry Malfoy, I am not enjoying this either."
"Question Granger, is there any potion in this book you can't do?"
"Probably not, why? Are you worried you are not up to my standards potions wise?" Draco sniffed disapprovingly.
"Honestly Granger do you really think I give a damn what your 'standards' are? Just make the potion and leave me alone!" She huffed and opened her mouth as if she was about to give him a rather nasty retort, then she shut her mouth and flipped open her book then proceeded to shove it into his chest.
"I am not doing all of your work because you are too much of an incompetent git." Draco let out a low growl and took the book from her.
"So what am I supposed to do now then?"
"If you really wish to be of any help just read the ingredients off for me, can you at least do that?" He nodded as he looked over at Theo who;s cauldron just exploded. He shook his head, poor Theo working with Longbottom. At least he was working with a pure blood, granted he was a blood traitor, but none the less a pure blood. By the end of class two more cauldrons exploded. One being Seamus Finagan's who was paired with Pansy Parkinson, and the other being Zambini and Weasley's. To Draco's delight Weasley had gotten the potion all over his face and for some reason started growing large puss filled boils all over. His potion on the other hand was way about Snape's standards, which caused both he and Hermione to gain 20 house points.
Draco was definitely not looking forward to his next class. Care of Magical Creatures with that half-giant oaf. He did not know if he could handle both him and Potter's little crew. The thought actually made him a little nauseous as he headed down the grounds to Hagrid's hut. He and his friends arrived just in time for class to start, at least there were o biting books this year, Draco thought as Hagrid asked them to open their books up to the first chapter.
"Centaurs? But Hagrid!-" That brainy know-it-all witch pipped up. "-How are you going to coerce one to come here? They hate humans, especially Wizards."
"Well there is one, Harry you met him befor' remember Firenze? From ya' first year? He agreed to come here 'n talk about being a Centaur." Hagrid had an unmistakable grin under his great big bushy beard. "Firenze, could ya' pleas come out?" Hagrid said to what seemed to be nobody until the Centaur came out from behind the hut.
"What a filthy, disgusting half-breed, no wonder he and that oaf get along." Draco said to his friends, which got a loud snicker from the Slytherins but definitely got a rise out of Harry. He whipped around not paying attention to Hagrid anymore.
"Shove off Malfoy before I make you eat your words."
"Oh I would love to see you try Potter." Spat Draco as he pulled out his wand, Harry did the same. Draco reacted faster though. "Stupify!" Draco shouted, Harry fell to the ground.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Someone had shouted before Hagrid had even realized that there was a fight. He rushed over to them as Draco lay frozen on the ground all he could see was Hagrid's great big hulking frame. "Hagrid, Malfoy attacked Harry, that's why I did that!" Draco heard Hermione's voice ring out to the class all he could do was lay there and stare at the sky, not even able to defend himself from the allegations, or at least lie his way out. Hermione released his curse after they revived Harry. Draco opened his mouth to retort and Hagrid just put up a giant hand to stop him.
"No Malfoy, You're getting detention...but, so is Miss Granger because she did attack you. Self-defense or defending your friends does not count. Three days each." Draco swore loudly but fortunately for him Hagrid didn't hear it because of the loud objections coming from Harry and Ron.
By the time Draco was at Ancient Runes, he had a massive headache. He sat down in his seat and rubbed his temples and groaned. He was in no mood for this class today, and it was only the first day. He could not concentrate all class so he spent it shooting little balls of magic at Granger, they didn't hurt they were just annoying. He knew he was pissing her off and this seemed to amuse him even more. The class ended and Draco gathered up his things and left, he hurried out of the class room to get to lunch. He Was Starving. On his way down the stairs he was hit and before he knew what had happened his legs had snapped together and he tumbled down a few of the stairs, enough to draw attention and laughter to himself. Leg Binding Curse! He unbound himself and stood up, as he brushed himself off he looked around. Hermione was standing at the top of the stairs, wand in hand, smiling like it was the funniest thing she had ever seen. He pulled his wand out and pointed it at her.
"You Filthy Mudblood! You'll pay for that!" He was just about to curse her when he felt another wand against the middle of his back.
"You do anything to her, and you won't live to see lunch." Said the unmistakable voice of the Weasley bitch. He did not lower his wand but he turned to face her, she scowled at him.
"This has nothing to do with you Weasley, now Bugger Off!" She looked as if she might hit him more than curse him. Either way Draco knew how she was and decided to just walk away. That Mudblood would get what was coming to her. He continued to the Great Hall where he was greeted by his friends.
"Heard you took a spill because of that Granger girl." Theo said with a snide look on his face. "You, the infamous Draco Malfoy, falling head over heels for a brainy know it all." He laughed but his happiness was short lived when Draco punched him in the gut. Theo grunted and tried to catch his breath for several minutes. At least that shut him up. Draco thought. He quickly shoved food down his throat and headed to the library, he could get some peace and quiet there and maybe he could get a start on his Runes homework. Unbelievable, he had homework on his first day. Draco found the book he was looking for and sat down at the furthest back table, pulled out a quill, parchment and his homework and started to work. Draco was alone and he liked it that way, he could do without his friends and especially Pansy, he could definitely do without her. He had almost finished his work, just a few problems left, and he was stuck. Just my luck, fucking unbelievable, I swear I will be here all night. He slammed his head face down into his book just as someone walked in behind him, laughing, it was a girl's laugh and she obviously saw his pathetic attempt to knock himself into a coma with his school books. He turned around to see Granger. Is she Following me? He was just about to make an evil comment about her dirty blood when he had a brilliant thought.
"Er...Granger...Could you come here?" He tried to smile but then he realized she might think he's being suspicious.
"What do you want Malfoy? I'm really not in the mood for your stupid mudblood jokes."
"No, just...come here please? I sort of...need...help." Draco mumbled and he saw her eyes light up with delight, either she was way too excited about tutoring someone, or she took great pleasure in a Slytherin asking for Gryffindor help. Either way she headed over and sat across the table from him.
"You are still working on this? Bloody hell, I finished this assignment ages ago."
"Merlin Granger, none of us are bloody know it all's like you. Give me a break!"
"You seem like you really need help. I, unlike some, have pity so I'll help you with your homework...This time." In about fifteen minutes he was done with his homework.
"Thanks Granger, but this does not change things between us."